In recent years, a variety of control systems have been developed and are now in use for automotive vehicle window wipers. For the most part, however, these control systems have been directed to wipers associated with vehicle windshields, as opposed to vehicle rear windows.
Of the more limited number of control systems directed to rear window wiper control, most fail to stand alone. More specifically, these control systems are dependant upon input from other vehicle systems or parameters, such as windshield wiper controls, window defoggers, vehicle speed, or vehicle direction. Moreover, these control systems often ignore a variety of important rear window wiper parameters.
Rear window wipers are most often used on vehicles having a lift gate wherein the rear window can be opened. However, most rear window wiper control systems typically fail to account for important rear window wiper parameters such as window position and lift gate position. Examples of such control systems can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,999,550 issued to Jones; 4,881,019 issued to Shiraishi et al.; and 4,276,501 issued to Fanz.
Other rear window wiper control systems, while independent of other vehicle systems or parameters, are directed to control of only limited aspects of the rear window wiper. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,482 issued to Goertler et al. discloses a control system solely for a rear window wiper motor. Such control systems again fail to account for a variety of important rear window wiper parameters, such as window position and lift gate position.
Thus, an improved system and method for controlling a rear window wiper would be independent of other vehicle systems and parameters. Such an improved control system and method would also account for a variety of important rear window wiper parameters, such as rear window position and lift gate position.